Ep 10. Inside YouTube Annotations & Cards

Inside YouTube is a show about the popular video-sharing platform, providing insights into the daily lives of YouTubers, as well as the company's inner workings, algorithm updates, and more. In this particular episode, titled "Inside YouTube Annotations & Cards," the focus is on two key features used by video creators to enhance the viewing experience of their audience.

Annotations are elements added to a video that can be clicked on to display additional content, including text, links, and even other videos. Cards, on the other hand, are interactive call-to-action graphics that can be displayed at any point during a video, encouraging viewers to take an action - such as subscribing to a channel, visiting a website, or watching related content.

The episode begins with an overview of the history and evolution of annotations on YouTube. Starting in 2008, annotations were originally intended to provide a way for creators to add additional context to their videos, but as the feature became more ubiquitous, it was abused by some creators who would use it to create misleading clickbait titles or spam their audience with irrelevant ads.

In response to this, YouTube began phasing out annotations in 2017, with most of them being removed completely by early 2019. This move was largely seen as a positive one, as viewers had complained about annotations being intrusive and distracting from the video content.

However, annotations have been replaced by cards, which are more subtle and customizable. The episode highlights some ways that YouTubers use cards effectively, such as adding relevant links to products or other videos, or adding interactive polls to engage their audience.

The episode also features interviews with several video creators to get their perspectives on annotations and cards. Some creators lamented the loss of annotations, especially those who had built up large libraries of video content that relied heavily on the feature. Others embraced the change and praised cards for being more user-friendly and less intrusive.

One of the most interesting segments of the episode focuses on the data behind annotations and cards, and how video creators can use that data to optimize their content. For example, creators can use analytics to see which annotations or cards are clicked on the most, and which ones are ignored. They can then use this information to improve their annotations and cards over time, making them more relevant and effective for their audience.

Overall, "Inside YouTube Annotations & Cards" is an informative and engaging episode that provides a deep dive into two key features of the platform. Whether you're a seasoned creator or just a casual YouTube viewer, you'll come away with a better understanding of how annotations and cards work, and how they can be used to make videos more engaging and effective.